


What a night

by thatgirlyeojoo



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: First Love, M/M, Post-High School, mutual understanding, nielwink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 06:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20003797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatgirlyeojoo/pseuds/thatgirlyeojoo
Summary: How do you break up with someone who was never yours to begin with?--Or, Jihoon and Daniel had mutual feelings of affection for each other in high school but never thought of putting a label to their so-called relationship. After drifting apart without proper closure years ago, fate kept bringing them together to settle their unfinished business. This is them trying to find their way back and starting all over again.





	What a night

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in a bit of a rush on one fine sleep-deprived morning so it's kinda short and irdk what goes on. Some plot, I hope ㅠㅠ

Soft music played all over the place as guests milled around the buffet area and picked whatever dish caught their fancy. It was the reception after Jisung's wedding to his girlfriend of six years. After having his fill of the main course earlier, Jihoon reached for the cupcake across the table, but his short arms couldn't reach far enough. He was on the verge of giving up--maybe the parfait would taste better for dessert--but a helping hand brought the pastry to his plate. When he looked up to thank the person, he discovered it was Daniel.

His high school sweetheart and first love.

"Hi."

  
  
  


Back in the day, they were  _ a thing _ . Not exactly in a relationship--they simply know they liked each other. They would have their lunch together, share notes, study side by side at the school library, pick each other as project partner, crack some cheesy pick-up lines here and there, and then walk home bickering. That is, until they graduated and entered college.

They went to the same university, Jihoon to study architecture, and Daniel to the College of Law. They even enrolled to their respective classes on the same day.

And that was the last time they saw each other.

How do you break up with someone who was never yours to begin with?

Even if that was the case, the feeling was there. Jihoon cared a lot for Daniel and was happy to spend time with him. Maybe even considered spending the rest of his life with him. He knew he loved Daniel, except he was never able to say it outright, word for word for the other to hear. It was a mistake his younger self unfortunately committed. Why they risked going out without labels, Jihoon had no idea. Somehow, their naive hearts thought this was going to work. Maybe they were both excited and afraid at the thought of falling for someone for the very first time.

When they drifted apart, it hurt so fucking much, yet Jihoon couldn't do anything--he had no claims. He was a squatter in Daniel's heart, no titles to uphold and no commitments whatsoever. They breathed the same air within the campus walls, probably celebrated the same university festivals and walked through the same gates and pavements, but their paths never intersected close enough for them to see each other and put an official finality to what had been their flimsy relationship.

  
  
  


Two years ago, their high school class had gathered for a reunion. It had been the fifth year since they graduated. It was inevitable for them to bump into each other at the event, what with mere 35 members of the class. Not to mention the brutal teasing they had to endure from their classmates who still remember what they were like in high school. Basically everyone knew the not-really-boyfriends-but-something-like-that stuff they had between each other. They were all rooting for the two of them to end up together.

Thankfully, they managed to escape the prying eyes of their friends, and they were able to talk things through. 

"I only wish you had said something then," Jihoon had murmured beside the majestic fountain outside the venue. His eyes were dry--he had done enough crying. "I kept waiting, you see. All four years of it in college. I believed one day we'd come across each other, and you'd say something along the lines of 'I don't like you anymore' or 'goodbye' or both. I could have taken the hint, but I just couldn't stop holding on to that tiny bit of hope we could still get back together."

"I didn't know how to say it, didn't know how to end things without hurting you. I thought keeping my silence and staying away would be the best course of action. I didn't know you'd wait that much," Daniel had replied, head hung low. "I wish I could've done better. I'm really sorry."

Jihoon's heart felt lighter than it had ever been since. It became easier to accept their fate after closing that chapter of his life.

  
  
  


**Daniel K. 18:38**

i hope we're good now? :(

**Me 18:41**

think so. it's all settled ryt

**Daniel K. 18:42**

yeah

really sorry 

abt everything

**Me 18:44**

apology accepted

didnt i say that alrdy

stop saying sorry

**Daniel K. 18:44**

we can still be friends?

**Me 18:45**

of course Dannyboy:)

  
  
  


The next time they met was during Seongwu's birthday party. Many of their high school friends had also been present during the occasion. But while Jihoon and Daniel already agreed to be friends via text, they had still been awkward around each other in person. Jihoon found he couldn't look at Daniel's face without feeling weird. 

It wasn't that he still had feelings for the other; he had been into a number of relationships after Daniel. He had only been worried their friends would tease them again like kids if they ever get within two feet of each other. Jihoon didn't need everyone reminding them about the past they had already pleasantly settled, and he didn't want Daniel to feel uncomfortable (but really, he was the one getting more restless the more he thought about it). 

The party had ended with the two of them skirting along the edges in their bid to avoid each other.

  
  
  


In tonight's gathering, however, they were already standing face to face--Daniel smiling brightly like the overgrown puppy he was. Jihoon would have wanted to escape, disappear in the crowd--and it would only be too easy, given his height (or lack thereof)--but his nerves prevented him from making even the tiniest step away from Daniel.

"Hello."

"Enjoying yourself?"

"After this cupcake, maybe."

Daniel barked out a laugh. "You're really still the same, Jihoon," he said. "Or are you?"

Jihoon shrugged. "Maybe not. So many things have happened, you see," he chuckled. "But at least 50 percent of myself is still that Jihoon you knew."

Daniel smiled fondly at that. He grabbed his own piece of cupcake then asked, "Can we share these sweets?"

Jihoon looked around for the table where he left Woojin and thought his best friend wouldn't miss him if he went missing for a few minutes. "Sure!"

They found a quiet place out on the balcony, and for quite some time, they merely took bites out of the treats and looked around at the scene spread out below them. The car park was empty save for a few stragglers and twinkling street lights. The wind ruffled their hair and swept across their faces. 

Everything was bizarre to Jihoon. Daniel was familiar to him, of course, given the way they had traded secrets while scribbling notes in their high school library all those years ago. At the same time, Jihoon knew Daniel was also a different man from what he could recall. Much like himself. So many things have changed between them, but Jihoon could still sense the Kang Daniel he knew. 

"Ahh, what a night."

Jihoon smiled.

"Do you remember those times Jisung would scold us endlessly for being too noisy and not dusting off the chalkboard eraser?" Daniel laughed. "And now our class president has gotten married."

"Damn, I am so happy for him," Jihoon said. "Despite all the nagging we endured, he has always been a nice person."

Daniel took another bite off his cupcake and chewed slowly.

"You had been nice too. You often lend me your notes whenever I miss classes due to club activities. You were such an angel, even though your penmanship--"

"You're really bringing that up now?" Jihoon complained. "You didn't deserve my notes, you ungrateful brat."

"Kidding!" Daniel said (needlessly, because Jihoon knew the other loved bickering with him like that). "Weren't you the brightest in our maths class?"

Jihoon pouted. "It's an easy subject, if only you'd paid attention whenever I tried to teach you."

"I liked history better," Daniel shrugged. "I just wish you were there to tutor me through our maths in colle--"

The air went still between them. There they go, dipping their feet in dangerous waters.

"It's okay," Jihoon broke the silence with a gentle, genuine smile. "We're all good now, aren't we?"

Daniel nodded.

"Let's not be awkward around each other from now on. Let's greet each other comfortably."

"I'm just… l'm worried that you might still resent me after all."

"To be completely honest, I did," Jihoon replied. "Until we talked. I only needed that closure."

"I don't think I ever deserve your forgiveness. I had been a real douchebag then."

"Can I say I agree?" Both of them laughed heartily at that.

A question surfaced in front of Jihoon's mind--the words he could never ask back in the day because he was  _ that _ much of a coward. He just needed that confirmation, straight from Daniel's mouth. He was immensely curious whether the bond they shared in their youth was just a product of his assumptions or it was, in fact, mutual. That he wasn't simply hallucinating and giving exaggerated interpretations to all the kindness Daniel had shown him. That Daniel  _ did _ love him as much as he did. 

However, his tongue stopped him from uttering the words. It occurred to him that the answer didn't matter anymore, because what good would it do him? Them? They were completely over ever since that day they set foot in the same university but in different colleges, when their paths strayed off each other. Jihoon would only disrupt this thing that was going on between them in this moment. After all, he was still that cowardly and hopelessly romantic young man in front of Kang Daniel.

"We should let that go," Jihoon said finally. "We were just hormonal teens then. I don't even know what we were doing half the time. We're much more mature now."

The corners of Daniel's lips lifted in a cheerful smile. "Since fate brought us here now, I hope we could formally start again--as friends. For real." He held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Kang Daniel."

"Is this really necessary?" Jihoon wondered with an uneasy laugh. 

Daniel sighed. "Come on, just take my hand!"

Well, this was it: putting proper labels on their relationship. Weirded out and shy, Jihoon took Daniel's hand (their first physical contact after a long,  _ long _ time). "Hello, Kang Daniel. I'm Park Jihoon."

"Nice meeting you, Park Jihoon."

  
  
  


"There you are, you little shit," Woojin said, emerging from the hall. "How dare you leave me out there--"

The sight of Jihoon and Daniel's linked hands shut Woojin's mouth effectively. "I mean. Okay. I'll come get you later," he said, retreating into the hall again in confusion. He popped his head out the wall only to add, "bitch."

Jihoon and Daniel broke off their handshake, laughing at Woojin's foolishness, and continued to consume their forgotten cupcakes. Despite promising to chat for only a couple of minutes, Jihoon decided to stay a bit longer. They had a lot of catching up to do, after all. 

The wind was cold, but Jihoon felt warm with Daniel beside him.

**Author's Note:**

> Sincere thanks for bearing with my nonsense ><
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/shykneeonyou)  
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/thatgirlyeojoo)


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